Strike Like Lightning - Lonnie Mack (1LP Vinyl)

Strike Like Lightning by Lonnie Mack.

When Lonnie Mack strapped on his guitar for "Strike Like Lightning," he was riding a comeback that reminded the world just how much fire lived in his hands and voice. This record captures that resurgence in full, a set of tough, soulful blues and roadhouse rock that plays to every strength Mack built over decades of working the circuit. From the opening swagger of "Hound Dog Man" to the closing wink of "Oreo Cookie Blues," it is the sound of a veteran playing like he has something to prove.

Part of what makes this album so magnetic is the company Mack keeps. Sharing electric guitar duties throughout is Stevie Ray Vaughan, who also sits in the producer's chair alongside Mack himself. The pairing of these two, both devoted to tone, feel, and the raw electricity of the instrument, gives the whole record a live-wire tension. You can hear it charging through the title track "Strike Like Lightning," and it lingers across every side.

The rhythm section keeps things anchored and driving. Tim Drummond lays down electric bass across the record, while drum duties are split between Dennis O'Neal and Gene Lawson, the latter stepping in for "Long Way From Memphis" and the title cut. Bill McIntosh adds further electric guitar, and Stan Szelest colors the arrangements with keyboards, filling out ballads like "Falling Back In Love With You" and giving grit to burners like "Double Whammy" and "Satisfy Susie."

Behind the boards, the project carried real blues pedigree, with Bruce Iglauer and Mindy Giles serving as executive producers. The result runs the full emotional gamut, from the tender pull of "If You Have To Know" to the defiant kick of "Stop" and "You Ain't Got Me." It is a record that knows when to snarl and when to smolder, and it rewards front-to-back listening.

This pressing follows in the footsteps of the 2018 Italian reissue that appeared as part of the Blues In Vinile series. It uses a copy of that same cover, designed by Xeno, with photography by Lone Star Silver. Note that this version does not include the eight-page booklet that accompanied that earlier reissue; instead it arrives in a basic sleeve.

What it does share with its predecessor is the pressing quality that matters most to collectors, a substantial 180gm MPO pressing built for serious playback. For fans of Lonnie Mack, of Stevie Ray Vaughan, or of the electric blues tradition these players carried forward, this is a rewarding addition to the shelf and a record made to be played loud and played often.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. Hound Dog Man
A2. Satisfy Susie
A3. Stop
A4. Long Way From Memphis
A5. Double Whammy
B1. Strike Like Lightning
B2. Falling Back In Love With You
B3. If You Have To Know
B4. You Ain't Got Me
B5. Oreo Cookie Blues

Credits:
Xeno (10) - Cover
Dennis O'Neal (2) - Drums (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9)
Gene Lawson - Drums (4, 6)
Tim Drummond - Electric Bass
Bill McIntosh - Electric Guitar
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Electric Guitar
Lonnie Mack - Electric Guitar, Lead Vocals
Bruce Iglauer - Executive Producer
Mindy Giles - Executive Producer
Stan Szelest - Keyboards
Lone Star Silver - Photography By
Lonnie Mack - Producer
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Producer

Notes:
This reissue similar to 2018 Italian reissue that was part of the ' Blues In Vinile' series. It uses a copy of the same cover as that reissue but does NOT have the 8 page booklet that came with that reissue.

This version comes with a basic sleeve with no booklet but has the same quality 180gm MPO pressing as the previous reissue. Images from my copy on hand.

Artist: Lonnie Mack

Format: 1LP

Genre: Blues

Label: Alligator Records

Catalog Number: AL 4739

Release Year: 2022

Country: Import

Condition: Sealed (New)